Storm Trooper: Hell week (40k fanfic)
by GunnerJurgen
Summary: Storm Troopers. The Elite special forces of the Imperial Guard, This work follows Nickolai a storm trooper fresh from the Schola on his first mission. The Mission originally seems simple enough but he will soon find nothing is in this dark future...
1. Chapter 1

By D.N Eastburn

The frozen shrine world of Skara I've called home for as long as I can remember. My parents died in service to the emperor leaving me in the not so tender mercy of the Schola Progentum on this frozen rock. For nearly 10 years I have been forged into a fighting man, a storm trooper. Now comes my final trials as a storm trooper recruit...

My eyes opened at the sound of a klaxon siren. Same as it always did every morning before light from the distant sun even thought of reaching this side of Skara. The lights in the barracks flickered on as I dragged my sore body upright in my cot. The light was like fire to my tired eyes as they scanned the room before locking on to the sight Drill Abbot Kingsly, His rugged lean frame was encased in the bulky black carapace armor of our trade only his bald head covered in scars was the only thing not covered his augmented eyes regarded me as he bellowed "I want you out of that rack now like these other sorry piles of meat!"

With surprise and embarrassment I noticed every other recruit had bailed out of their cots when the klaxon blared. Moving quickly as my tired body would let me I stood beside my cot eyes forward hoping to save myself of that withering glare. I heard the old man's augmented lungs intake breath loudly before yelling at everyone now. "15 Minutes and I expect you son's of bitches outside in full armor and kit!" then marched out briskly leaving the barracks filling with sounds of footlockers opening.

"You really hacked him off today Nickolai.." My squad mate Markus jeered as we both pulled out carapace armor on plate by plate.

Without wasting a single action on anything else I rebuked " Yeah well what the hell am I supposed to do he's been on my arse for weeks" Trying to make up for being the last one out of my bunk I double timed dawning on my armor clicking the last snap into place as I started for the door with Markus as always a few steps behind me.

Our friendship was always sort of a rivalry trying to out do the other in feats of military prowess though our friendship was too strong to be true rivals. We were the first out of our training squad on the parade ground quickly snapping to attention and giving the sign of aquila to Drill Abbot Kingsly. We waited there at attention while the other three of our training squad came and mirrored our stance as well as giving the sign of aquila. As always the loud weeze from the old abbot was heard as a prelude to his bellowing. "Today will be a rite of passage, Hell day, You will all will show me that you know our tools of death.." He gestured to a long table that was filled with weapon parts and sacred oils. Each pile had a name plate to the corresponding recruit it was meant for. "Assemble your weapons, make sure you don't fekk up, these weapons you will carry for what ever is left of your miserable lives. Commence!"

Assembling the weapons was one thing but as we found out it was entirely another outside in the harsh arctic winds of Skara. Fumbling for hours our hands encased in the armor became frost bitten and sluggish. Our focus had to be unwavering to properly identify the weapons and assemble them. My heart leapt when I recognized mine. A hot-shot pistol, the coin dropping why the old man had been riding my arse. Hot-shot pistols were only issued to squad leaders and he would make damn sure I was ready for the burden. I looked over to the side and saw Markus his blonde hair damp and messy from the falling snow his pale frost-bitten features frozen in glee as he muttered prayers while completing his plasma gun. By the time Drill Abbot Kingsly returned with the power packs to our weapons all of the squad had completed their weapons. The three others, Duros, Borror and 'Twitch' were hefting their newly completed Hot-shot lasguns with pride. Kingsly tossed our bulky power back packs in front of us and handed Markus' more compact power pack. The old man grinned the first time I've ever seen as he handed me a power sword. "Marshal your squad behind me, Sargent"

I beamed back at him hearing him address me with my new rank then turned to my squad taking a deep breath and yelling, "Alright boys you heard the Drill Abbot get your kits, on me!" They hesitated for only a moment in surprise hearing me give commands for a change, it also provoked a silent chuckle and grudging smile from Markus as they fell in with Kingsly and I leading the way.

I've seen a few other storm trooper recruits ahead of my squad follow this routine so at least I thought I knew where we were headed but when Kingsly turned away from the live-fire course and moved towards the schola's less known conference building, I wasn't so sure. We entered through the large doors following the corridors to a large briefing room. There was a woman in black and gold robes, her black hair brushing against her shoulders when her head turned towards our little group as we entered the room. Her ice blue eyes regarding us as if she was bored. Kingsly snapped to attention and gave the sign of aquila taking the hint we all followed suit. Kingsly's voice came out softer then I've ever heard when he spoke. "Inquisitor Dorosa... reporting with Sargent Nickolai and his squad as requested."

It took me a moment to truly register what he said, but when I did I felt my bowels clench and my stomach turn inside out. I've heard the stories about Inquisitors and like all Imperial men and women I had damn good reason to fear them. I felt Kingsly pat my shoulder as he turned around and left the room. The door to the breifing room sliding shut and clicking loudly as it locked, leaving my squad and I alone with the Inquisitor.


	2. Chapter 2

Part two...

Inquisitor Dorosa propped her legs up in a relaxed manner in contrast to my squad's tense apprehension toward the unexpected presence of an Inquisitor. Locked in with such a person was far from comforting but I had to admit she had some nice curves... Anyways getting a little off target, back to point... She regarded us coolly then flicked a small switch on her wrist making the lights dim and a holo of Skara appear between us and the Inquisitor. The near barren ice ball my squad and I spent the majority of our lives. The holo zoomed in to the southern Continent of Skara. The continent was mostly snow covered ruins barely visible from the satellite view holo. Her voice same out soft and what would have been a comforting tone if not for her position. "As you have heard I am Inquisitor Dorosa of the Ordo Hereticus.. I have called you here because of are the best of the training squads in the last stage of training.. Take a seat"

Complying with her simple order, we sat as quickly as we could in our gear, as if she would strike us down for taking too long. I suppose that was an irrational fear since we had use to her. She continued on with the briefing. " This world is categorized as a shrine world because of this continent.. As you may have known this was a battle field where many of the God-Emperor's children fought and died for the fate of this world long ago against the forces of Chaos.. You are to grav-chute 15 kloms in the continent's old capital city of Mordheim.. Infiltrate the ruined city and investigate any taint then destroy it.. This is a mission of subtlety, as soon as you leave this room you are to directly go to the landing pad and board the Valkyrie gunship that will bring you to the drop point..Questions.?"

Standing slowly to fight the apprehension and fear of saying the wrong thing I spoke cautiously. "Honored Inquisitor, I have a few..The possible nature of the taint and our extraction point?" If the way I referred to her was anyway wrong she gave no sign of it. Her full lips curving to a smile in a way that may have inspired a bit of lust from a pervert like Markus was. "Sources say that Slaaneshi cultists may have infiltrated Mordheim because the city was where the final battle against the ruinous powers' attempt to conquer Skara.. There isn't an extraction point instead after completing your mission you will head north out of Mordheim approximately 30 Kloms you will find an Inquisition outpost.. There you will be debriefed, given your silver Aquilla tags then sent on your way to an assigned guard regiment for the duration of your service."

No more questions were needed in my mind, we would find these heretics and purge them from the holy site. Outside the room we found Kingsly waiting there, his relaxed posture up against the wall hinted at his old age and over all wiriness, his tired eyes looked up at us and motioned us to follow. He lead us through chambers none of us were familiar with, we didn't see a soul on the way to the landing pad but I guess that's why he picked this route. The engines running and the ramp down sat an old Valkyrie Gunship. Instead of the usual pilots from the PDF that normally piloted these flying work horses, in the plasteel cockpit sat a servitor at the controls. Kingsly lead us up the ramp and closed it behind us, the small troop compartment was bathed in dim red luminators, also on racks were six sets of white and artic blue camouflaged carapace armor. "Alright boys take off those old rusting pieces of crap and dawn these on... Straight from the ministorum armory, never worn"

Nodding we tossed off out old armor and started to dawn the new armor. First thing I noticed was that I felt so much warmer with it on it was clear this was meant for ice world fighting unlike our old training armor that didn't do anything for the cold but block the wind. When I dawned on my helmet diagnostics flickered to life. Prey sight helmets with friend-foe indicators and a small box at the corner of my eye showing auspex readings. I wished right then and there I could work for the Inquisition more. This wish was a terrible one but I was young and could dream. In my combead I could hear Kingsly. "Nickolai, now that we are on our way there is somethings you have to know that weren't in that sorry excuse for a briefing. You will have more to worry about then just looney chaos boys. Most of the southern continent is patrolled by the sisters of Our Martyred Lady, this mission is off the books and that's because the holy sisters regard the whole fekking continent as a holy sight of their convent. Wouldn't be healthy to be seen by them."

"Great you mean we have to worry about those zealot emperor-bothers shooting at us?"

Kingsly's helmeted head nodded infront of me, "Only if your seen by them, they also have prey sight so give them a wide berth. I'll be going ahead of you as a forward scout, I'm no longer your Drill Abbot, which means your in control of this mission not me. Don't fekk up and get me killed son, everyone's job is this mission but YOUR job is to make sure none of us kneel before the golden throne with work undone." He patted me on my shoulder nodding as the ramp started to descend again. To my surprise all I saw was white sky outside, I was too preoccupied with dawning my gear and listening to the final lecture Kingsly would ever give to me that I didn't notice our lift off, let alone thought it was long enough to already be at the drop sight, but thats focus for you...One sighted focus that would cost me so much trouble in the week to come.


	3. Chapter 3

The fall was shortened by the deploying of my grav-chute. Frost coated the sides of my visor before my grav-chute deployed. Kingsly preceded my decent mine by 5 ticks of the chronometer, I was followed almost automatically by Markus and the rest of my squad. By now Kingsly would have landed and started to scout the perimeter of the drop zone to make sure all was clear. During my decent I expected some vox-transmissions from him but nothing could be heard from my com-bead except faint static.

Upon landing I automatically went prone on the snow covered land followed by the rest of the squad landing and following suit, viability was less then a klom by the severe snow storm we found ourselves in until my prey-sight adjusted filters to infrared cutting out the falling snow from my vision. Still no sign of Kingsly. Pressing the side of my helmet with my hand to trigger the transmit on my vox I spoke as clear as I could trying to hide any anxiety from my voice. "I-Lead landed, vox check, any one see King?"

"Markus here lead, no signs of King"

"Twitch here lead, no sign o' King"

"Duros here lead, no sign of King"

"Borror here lead, King not in sight"

"Sister of the Order of Our Martyred Lady, What heretics dare desecrate this holy place with their foul presence?!"

Hearing this unexpected female voice got my heart pounding in my chest. Deciding not to respond and giving the hand signal to deactivate our vox-gear and follow me. My body shot up and started double timing it to a burnt out ruin of a small building hoping to use its thick walls for cover from this patrolling sister of battle's prey-sight. Catching faint movement with a low heat signature hiding in the building I crouched holding up my fist to have the others do the same. Turning behind me to my squad I held two fingers up to my visor then pointed to the building. Pointing to Markus and Twitch gesturing to flank left, then pointing to Duros and Borrow and gesturing for them to flank right. Made the hand gesture for silent kills only then pumped my fist vertically. They double timed their flanking movements keeping low I pulled out my combat knife holding it at ready as I moved up the middle to where I saw the faint heat signature. Bounding through the ruins door I suddenly felt a strong hard arm hit my chest clothes lining me, when I hit the ground I saw kingly above me his shoulders hinting that he was chuckling his head off. His movement stopped completely when a knife reached around and pressed against his throat. Tapping the hand that held it twice to let Markus and the others know he was a friendly. When the knife was pulled away he reached down and helped me up. Gesturing us further inside quickly right before the faint echo of an engine started ringing through our ears. Inside I peeked my visor over a hole in the wall it was then I saw the source of the engine noise. Less then a klom away, sticking out like an ork nob in a dress was a large black and blood red rhino APC. Clicking on my helmet mic and speeker on the lowest setting volume my voice came out as a whisper. "There's our party crasher.. Rhino Transport Tank.. Immolater pattern.. closing in on our drop zone." Kingsly's whispering behind me.

"what dumb fekk gave away our position by not switching your Vox-frequiency to secure squad channel? Who ever-" This is when I cut him off not out of anger but for constructiveness of our mission.

"Doesn't matter now, who ever it was switch it now. Disciplining the fekker now would do nothing but undermine our efforts and mission moral" Kingsly's response was one of surprise and well hidden pride.

" Understood Sargent.. I can see now I made the right choice making a Commissar wash-out like you squad leader" My features flushed a bit for the first time being reminded in years that like Markus, I was a washout of the commissar class. Not for incompetence mind you just Markus and I felt that picking out a poor sod for execution when the fighting wasn't going our way was counter-productive at best. At worst it would cause a friendly fire accident with our own sorry asses as the victims. When we made that case to our training Commissar, the old man threw us into Kingsly's understrength training squad and that was that. Anyways that full story need not detain this account.

The Immolator started turning towards the burnt out ruins we were using as a hide out. Seeing this my eyes scanned the floor seeing a trap door I gestured to it. "Open it and lets get down there before that Immolator's twin linked flamers find us with our pants down!" Twitch opened the metal trap door and we started filing in. I was the last looking back half way down the ladder. My vision filled with flames before my prey-sight infrared was overloaded from the intense heat and shutting down, leaving me blind as I hit the hard floor below...


End file.
